Salvation
by Cintasia
Summary: Harry Potter, the boywholived has been sent back to the past into a baby form! Will he remember who he was previously, then what would happen next? is this another plot of the dark lord? AU. timetravel & crossover. Storyline revolves around Star wars I O
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: this story plot belongs to me, however, most if not all the characters belongs to its rightful owner, J K Rowling.**

**Happy reading, and please review!**

Prologue

In all of history, the pureblood families usually take to a side in war. And just like any others, the Zabinis too were expected for what was so special about them anyway? On the outside they were as ordinary as ever having heirs and children that were being sorted into Ravenclaw or Slytherin or Hufflepuff. Yet in all honesty, they were as secretive and shady as the false background they took up.

In the early generations, the Zabinis were always the peacemakers, always resolving a fight as easily as it was started whether or not they were the cause. In most history, they played the advisers to peace, always in the background so no one would notice them. Many a times the wheels of fate started moving because of them, yet that was at least a century ago.

In this new millennium, the new generation of Zabinis will finally continue their legacy and unknowingly cause the wheels of fate to once again turn.

* * *

28 August 1989. 

Joseharnais Victoria Zabini was a brilliant woman and a success in everything she did. Though sometimes she took the pace of a snail to complete her work, she finished it with complete satisfactory from everyone.

While she was young, say about three, her parents were killed in the war as causalities while they were shopping at diagonal alley. While it wasn't absurd that innocent bystanders were killed during a battle. It was stranger that two people who had mastery over certain magic fields like battle warfare were killed. They both were on a neutral ground thus neither the light nor the dark side would care about them.

To have any death eater accidentally kill them was ridiculous as both were known throughout the magical community. Unless… unless it was on purpose, which brings Joe's thoughts back to who the culprit could be and why.

Thinking about it for the countless time was frustrating to say the least. She had never a carefree moment in her life yet. Since young, she was orphaned and sent to her distant aunt as according to her parents' will, yet she was always sad.

Her aunt was kind to her, as kind as any child will know, yet the problem was that she did not have a good childhood. Her aunt's husband was always drunk and while he avoided beating her for fear of any freakiness, which was her magical heritage, he didn't show mercy to his wife who was a squib.

What he did do to her was show her how people should be punished by raping, beating her aunt in front of her, with the additional mental and verbal taunts to Joe about how he would do that to her when she was older.

Oh. Joe was lucky indeed, if not for the fact that while her aunt still live, had taught her not to hate such people as not everyone was so abusive, and the fact that she went to school with friends in hand, she would have turned out to be a muggle-hater.

Her years in Hogwarts as a Slytherin were filled with politics. It was also the place where she had gotten her title as the ice queen. Cold and emotionless was her face yet she was as pale and beautiful as a queen. Her status was brought forth when she inherited her parent's talents, attaining mastery over two fields of magic at the youngest age known, which was nineteen years old.

It seems that her aunt's death had spurred her to do well, when she was at the age of fifteen. Luckily, as she was apprenticed to a spell-smith at that time, she was under his wing and needn't return to her uncle as she was still considered two years underage.

Currently, she was researching in her family's library which was impressively big, for a solution to her problem. To allow an adopted child to have Zabini's blood. For, if she does not have one by the age of twenty –two which was in a year, she would have to forfeit her magic, her position as the head, and her inheritance. Normally, she wouldn't give a penny of though to her inheritance as money wasn't exactly what she was after.

No, it was the thought that she would have to give it to the foolish, power-hungry minister of magic, Cornelius Fudge. Not that the other ministers weren't power-hungry, but Fudge was a complete fool, and giving him the inheritance implied that the ancient house of Zabini had fallen, never to resurrect again, one that she would never allow. She would not fail her late parents or her ancestors now.

Yet…

_Goldyhocks, manager of the inheritance department, looked at her speaking in a fluent English tongue one would not expect from a goblin._

"_Ms. Zabini, as from what I can advise you, there isn't really much to worry about, just choose your husband, settle down, have a child and it's done. The inheritance yours to take, position and magic is also yours forever uncontested. I really don't see why you're so outrage at it. Unless…"_

_Glaring up from her seat wearing a frown on her face, she answered._

"_Isn't there any other way to settle this?"_

"_Why of course, however in your case it might be impossible…"_

"_Speak up about that, mayhap it might help me if not a bit in the least!"_

"_Well… you see for families, who cannot have children, they have the choice of appointing someone else to take the place as future head of the family. However, your ancestors have added a clause that should you do that, the heir must be a male and magical, and have at least half of a Zabini's blood flowing through his veins."_

"_Half of a Zabini's?"_

"_It just means that if you appoint someone, that person must be closely related to you, probably a direct cousin."_

"_But… I don't have any direct cousins. The closest are the Blacks, my cousins five times taken or so…"_

"_My point exact Ms… my advice would still be that you get married as soon as possible."_

_Giving another release of a sigh, Joe stood up and thanked the goblin, walking slowly to the door…_

There has to be some spell in the books here that allow her to christen an adopted child to have her blood flowing through his veins! Irritating olden rule, another reason why she dislike the olden pureblood families. They still stick to the old-fashioned ways of candles and lamps, instead of using the modern supplies of bulbs and computers.

She promised herself, one day when this problem is solved, she will make sure that her ancestral manor is updated to the latest and modern technology needed.

* * *

30 August 1989 

"Water from spring,

Ash from king,

Bring me what I want

To solve my rant"

So saying, a whirlpool of dirty water came sprouting out in the ritual room spinning around wildly that if not for the protection of the hundreds of golden runes around the walls and floor, Joe would have been thrown up spinning around and round till her head grew starry forever.

Joe in the meantime was gritting her teeth together hoping that her troubles have not gone to naught. This spell was one of the two olden spells which she will be using. The other one was a christening spell to adopt one into the family making that person has the equivalent of half of a Zabini; while this one would be to find the right child with the qualities she had in mind.

Although, if she had known it was going to be this windy she wouldn't have done it the hard way, going to every orphanage to see each child available for adoption.

* * *

please review, i really need the encouragment, so i won't be updating until i know that people are reading this. 


	2. Chapter 2

**DISCLAIMER: This story is definitely mine, though most characters belongs to JK ROWLING, as it is I suppose rightly hers… rrrr… why she got so lucky don't ask me!**

_Please please review, I know you readers out there like to read but don't review as can be seen from the stats… or well I did hope that you read it! So please please review this!_

Chapter 1: the present Harry.

Harry potter, also widely known in the secretive world of magic as the boy-who-live, was lying on his bed, eyes enclosed with beads of sweat running down his cheeks. Under the sweltering heat, it would not be surprising at all to sweat. Yet, those trails of sweat weren't made by the heat, but by his occurring nightmare of memories.

Sirius was battling happily with his opponent, wand swishing as fireworks sprouted out, each missing its target by a hair. With his opponent too doing the same, it was a brilliant sight to see except that it's current on-looker; Harry was focused on only one person. His godfather.

"SIRUIS! GET THE HELL OUT OF THERE!"

Grinning like a Cheshire cat, Sirius replied.

"I don't want to! She is going down!"

"SIRIUS! Please …COME!"

Harry desperately tired to move forward to no avail as if something was holding him. Repeating it like a mantra, he kept screaming for Sirius to leave the fight even till after the veil swallowed his godfather. His mind blanked out in darkness, as the two blue orbs of his godfather stared at him. Eyes that shone in laughter as voices kept murmuring, begging, "please… come back…"

Come back… why won't you come back… come back… please come back…

Come back… …

Snapping his eyes open, Harry returned to the reality world just as lightning struck, lighting up his surrounding.

Closing his eyes, he panted softly as his skin shivered against his latest nightmare. Hearing his bedside clock ticking away the seconds, it calmed him soothing him into a protective tranquil until… BOOM!

Widened eyes met his surrounding as his heartbeat increased tenfold in fright. Fear took its place in his heart, yet he didn't avoid it. After all he deserve it, in a way. In all the things he had done and achieves, the many murders that he never really felt much consequences for that he had cause; he had finally learned the harsh truth of life.

His godfather was truly dead. All the time in his life when Quirell who had tried to take his life had died, he hadn't given much though to it. When the Flamels were said to die soon, he didn't care about it. Cedric had died in his fourth year yet he hadn't felt as desolated and sad, as he should be.

In all, he only felt it because of the rumours of Cedric's murder was by his hand. Yet now, someone closed to him has finally died. That was like a slap to his face. One cruel and hard slap, which had finally destroyed his fool of an innocent paradise.

After all, if Voldemort really wanted to kill him, it would be a pleasure to him won't it. He would finally get to see his parents, his godfather, his … his …. _Is that what he really wanted, just for 3 people? No wait, if I died what about Hermione, Ron, Mrs. Weasely, Remus…they need me more than my parents and Sirius does, don't they?_

_Uh... but if you stay with them, they'll get killed. They only got lucky in the department, if not for the order…_

Harry never gotten to finish that thought as a familiar voice cut through his thoughts.

"Why if it isn't the famous all know it boy-who-live, all alone here in the dark crying for his …. Pitiful mongrel's death isn't it. Bet you never expected us huh?" Lucius spit onto the ground just missing Harry by an inch.

"No, never thought to see you here, all worn out in broken robes, hell, you look worse than the Weaselys' combined!" Harry countered unconsciously, after all having done this with Malfoy Jr all the time in Hogwarts certainly has been a habit.

Malfoy Senior who had hated and detests the poor redheads for being poor and muggle-loving was incensed to say the least. Being placed below them was like being a dirty muggle!

Raising his wand he started the incarnation of the killing spell when suddenly something clicked at his head.

* * *

Harry was prepared to die at that moment, and hearing the killing curse being started gave him a slightly haunted look in his eyes. "No more pain", he thought as he closed his eyes missing the person who was walking quietly towards Malfoy.

Click!

* * *

Please review people, the button is at the bottom…heck I think I'm getting desperate if I'm saying this, I don't care if you flame, flame all you want! Heehee… meekly runs away…

Ps. Sorry if this is short.


	3. new world

_**A New World.  
**_

A world blanket by an endless blue sky so even, it was impossible to see a in it. Yet, this was no unusual occurrence considering the planet wasn't called Earth. The planet I'm talking about isn't even in the galaxy I knew.

Having numerous suns boring down on the land, scorching the land turning the once fertile land to a sandy brown waste moving to where the wind goddess saw fit. Now _that_ was definitely not Earth, but an alien world called Tatoonie.

* * *

Shimi Skywalker watched tight-lipped as her only realistic connection to sanity crawled out of his loaned pod-racer. Once, or actually, even now she still enjoyed the scene, the thrill of pod-racing, but who could blame a mother for worrying about her only son for risking his neck one too many times.

'Honestly!' she berated the pod-racer's first pioneer mentally while waiting for the land-speeder to land.

'Blasted creature with no sense of safety precautions'

fortunately for her mothering instincts, she knew that one of the transports would land with her son safely intact for that was the only way she'll accept him without too much of the nagging he fumed at. Giving a sounded sigh, she screwed her face into one filled with false worries just as Anakin came out of the land-speeder.

* * *

"Oba chee ka!" Watto, owner of the Skywalker' slaves continued with his scolding, or more like screeching. That was in Shimi's opinion, the only thing that could describe his voice. '_Like a spoilt baby' _she thought

Two years before, she would never even dare to think of such thoughts about her master. Yet, that was two years. Now is a different story, one that she was grateful for given that her Slytherin past had finally returned to her.

Although it was still infuriating since she hadn't found a way to get out her slavery . Years of being the ice queen gave her a certain reputation that she wasn't quite ready to give up yet.

Imagine the looks on her acquaintances if they ever discovered that she was a slave! Bonded and at someone's beck and call! That would be the end of her life or so she suppose. Yet now, she was beginning to soften on the inside as she learned to take in the harden life of the poor, and treasure life.

After all, being a Slytherin was to walk a never-ending path of hardship, one that will let its' walker strive towards a goal for life. After all, to reach that goal meant two paths. The first was to find another goal, or the second which was unpleasant- to die from lack of motivation. That was the price for being cunning and ambitious, also the reason why most dark witches and wizards came from the serpent's house. They knew the truth. The world can never be conquered.

_**Flashback**_

Being dragged literally by a hovering blurred creature she had never seen before to who knows where in a strangely environment frightened and clueless, was the understatement of her life. Of course she was afraid, trembling to her bare feet, which was sore with pain from walking on the sandy land. In fact she was so absorbed with her painful feet and nauseous guts that she never realized that the hovering creature had stopped hovering forward but sideward, into a small sandy stoned cave.

What happened next was the one thing she will always remember for life. It had happened within the span of a snapped finger, when her head burst with pain, spinning her world till everything faded from her view, escaping from her feebly grasp save for a voice screaming itself hoarse...

* * *

Ps. To those whose reviews are annoyomous, please look to my profile to see the replies if you're expecting one. Also, my thanks to all reviewers and to my proof reader or beta Laura! 

Pps. Uh… its Laura right? I mean I hope its okay to call you Laura on this page.


	4. Chapter 4

__

_**  
The meaning of slavery**_

_  
The first time she could probably recall, she could hear whisperings, as she felt herself touched by the first rays. Greeting them with whining and heavy lids, she fell to the darkness of rest again, waking only days later, with a bowl greeting her sight._

_The bowl wasn't the prettiest thing in the world, but somehow, its spiral patterns on the bowl, captured and immersed her in a black sea of hurricane. _

Of course, partly now that she thought back, it could have been because of her own tiredness and unwillingness to think further than rest. _Still, she found herself unable to look away, contented to just stare at it for all her life. _

_Until someone took the bowl away. Surprised, she snarled at the owner of the hand, previously not noticing her surroundings except for herself and that pretty bowl. It was pretty._

_Her eyes traveled up taking in everything she could see, absorbing in knowledge like it was the water of life._

_That person's hand was thin and bony. A paling white, 'like a ghost' she thought though why she did not know. Her clothes, or perhaps it was a cloth, were ragged and tattered as it was matted with dirt and dust and a reddish paint._

_'Dirty!' her inner voice said. 'Pitiful!' she told it unaware that she had said it aloud._

_"Pitiful? I don't need your pity! Why you're no better than me, lower! In fact I proclaim you worse than me! And as for being dirty I could perhaps say the same for you. Look at yourself; you're in no better condition than me!"_

_Turning wide-eye to her clothes, she was stunned to see herself in an almost similar condition. The clothes- no! They were rags! How could she be wearing rags? She was better than the stranger. The stranger who..._

_Wordlessly she turned back her attention to the stranger who had talked to her. The elongated neck was a pearly white with a, a face of an alien! Eyes black like the midnight sky, it had a thin sheen of reflected light in it. She had no hair and her mouth was without the red lips._

_Panting with fear and adrenaline, she whimpered and moved backwards against the known wall behind her only to bump into something. _

_"No." she moaned as she slowly turned backwards, to face this time a flying blue alien behind her. She fainted. Probably the best course of action. After all, had she stayed awake any longer she would have screamed out and attracted unwanted attention, and problems._

Needless to say, her life had turned interesting from then on as she coped with the pressure of having no identity of remnants of her past. Taunted for it perhaps, yet in that time of new hardship, she had been gifted with a best friend and mentor to guide her and help her survive the hardship.

Although as she looked back often enough, she was surprised to see the building of a strong friendship bond with one of the most unlikely person.

Outcast number 104, or as Shimi dubbed her, Angel.

While her memory was unavailable to her, she could apparently recall enough with past instinct to give a name such as 'Angel'. However the problem was that she, Shimi, wasn't sure what it had meant then. Only that it was something she used to claim as good.

Of course, that particular bonding had been started by the hatred each held for the other. Angel, or 104 as was her registered name, had d the start of their first meeting.

Among her species of alien were the problems of being unable to reproduce, thus the invention of cloning and the problem of defects. 104 was the hundredth and fourth in her long line of ancestors to be a deflect having a minor scratch on her back.

Really! That was the most ridiculous fact she had ever heard. A scratch was perfectly normal, even in cloning, it might not cause wide-spread damage to the new-born.

However, her parent's thought not and had sold her to the Hutts instead, being emotionally attached to raise an order of against their own creation.

Sure as rain, 104's growth wasn't affected by the scratch any bit, heck! Even her own habit-genes were the same as her species. Fussy about appearances. Yet she was like a big sister, a late sister.

"Don't you ever feel embarrassed of being out?" Shimi asked. It was only four months since she was tied to Master Watto.

Elegantly raising her eyebrow, Angel turned to regard her companion closely.

"Well, I haven't done anything wrong so no, I'm not embarrassed of going out."

"Oh but don't you feel ashamed of being a…a…a..." Shimi stumbled and stopped being unable to continue on.

"A what?"

"You know what I mean, a…" She just couldn't go on. That word tasted vile to her tongue as if forbidding her to admit something, as if to tell her that this was all a dream.

"It's nothing much anyway, so are we going to Jita's tent, or Drape's this time" Shimi diverted the subject, mentally scolding herself for even bringing up the solution.

"Shimi Skywalker!" Angel paused, spinning behind only to kneel down in front of Shimi.

"I know what you wanted to say. A slave isn't it? Yes? "

Shimi nodded.

"A slave may not be a very respectful position, nor is it a comfortable occupation. Yet no one, not even you should be ashamed of what you are. In fact, we, the slaves are actually more important than those rich bigots!"

"We?" Shimi asked curiously, one eyebrow rising steadily into her straight fringe.

"Of course, don't you believe me?"

Shimi opened her mouth to exclaim her disagreement.

"Wait, wait. Tell me first, what do we slaves do everyday?" Angel asked, her voice turning smooth and calming for when she was in the lecturing mode.

"We keep the place clean, do manual labor like fetching water, tend to the master's property…"

"Yes, and what do the 'master's' do?" she said adding lots of sacristies to the 'master'.

"They keep the money, attend to the shop customers and eat and sleep, and go out to do more important business."

"Do more important businesses? Like gambling you mean?" Angel asked this, time it was her turn to look surprised.

"You really don't remember your past or know anything about their life do you?" Angel asked.

"No, but master Watto told me it was important businesses!"

"And you like a little trusting baby believed his every word. Humph! Listen here! Watto's life involves coming into the shop every morning to make sure we do our work properly before going out to place bets on whatever race or betting field there is. Then he comes back in the afternoon for his routinely check, go out and back in the evening to count the profit gain that day before closing the shop!"

"What? But how do you know that?"

Snorting out loud, Angel gestured with her hands all around her.

"Look around you! Don't you notice your surroundings at all?"

"I do!" Shimi cried out indignantly.

"Then tell me, what do you see?"

Shimi looked and cautiously gestured with her eyes.

"There, Master Kakos and Master Rink and two others are on that table discussing about a business contract."

"You mean, those four are holding cards and playing poker with huge stacks of gold coins on the table, while chatting?"

"Wha…" Shimi started but pause of the fore mentioned conversation flew by her.

"Ready to give up cause I've my ace with me!"

"Humph! I'm no wimp, ten sterling so open up and prepare to lose! Ha!"

"But they looked like they're doing business." Shimi whispered.

"Slaves are the ones that move the world. We are the one that gives prestige to the owner, give them a higher position, and gives them profit. That's why we are better than those gambling bigots, because we are the one who work for a living and all that's binding us are those rat-curse them chips! So remember Shimi, never be ashamed of being a slave."

* * *

"Never be ashamed of being a slave." She recited with Angel, as the wind of the past released its grip on her. 

That was the last thing she ever learnt from Angel. For the next day, Watto lost Angel to a traveling trader in a game of luck. Although… she did inherit the legacy of those long hopeful words.

"It's alright to hope to be free one day. But until then, live off the knowledge that without us slaves, our master would nothing but a poor, idiotic" ... not that he isn't already, she added mentally.

* * *

A/N: 

-Stretch….snap! Ahh… so comfortable…

Well readers sorry to bother you on the small details of Shimi's slavery, since I know this story is suppose to be focus on Anakin, but I promised next chapter will be back on track to Anakin's growing years. Once again, lots of thanks to beta laura, and please review!


	5. Chapter 5

_**Chapter 5: Anakin.**  
_

_9 years later…_

Her face brightened into the rosy smiling face he had always loved whenever he had seen her. Even though wrinkles started to be engraved on her face, he never cared about it loving her the way she was. She was his mother whether biological or not, the one who had taken care of him using blood and sweat.

"I had to repair the new droids that came in!" Anakin exclaim, voicing his dislike of that command from Watto to his mother.

Shimi frowned as she glanced off to the side. She had been doing that ever since those short episodes where she would space out for about a candle's flame. No one knew what really was wrong with her and Watto seeing as she could still work fine never called the healer. After all as one of his constant grumblings, 'those fake just swine money, Ha! They won't cheat me that easily!'

No one but he knew what was really going on. After all, he himself had them save that his was shorter and most would dismiss his episodes as the years of youth dreaming. Yet it wasn't.

Images of an old man would come up to him with that grandfatherly smile of his; often it was of a shaggy mane man with a smile on his lips but with eyes that he just couldn't place the feeling.

His mother was always there to hear him out and help him. She would rub between his shoulder blades humming a tune and while it would sooth him then, it didn't manage to curb his curiosity.

* * *

Shimi Skywalker didn't know what those scenes were about unlike her own which she managed to recover from past future. Slowly over the years she had learned her true past as a Zabini and her reason for being here. Gapping holes were still shown but she contributed it to the time's ravage that dull her memory, and her 'visions' or 'episodes' as they were known were lessening greatly too. However, the most important scene of the results of how the first spell and her reciting the second was still missing no matter how hard she tried to remember it. Only the knowledge that she did the two spells.

"I had to repair the new droids that came in!" Her son said his scowl screwing his face to a fat puddle.

Her son, she still didn't know much on her son's past, or the past that he should not have at all. After all, the spell she had was for an orphan who wished to be willing to be adopted by her, with the traits or the future prospects of a Zabini heir. However, as soon as she had gone over the spell's description again in her mind, she learned of the unexpected twist.

An orphan- the spell never signify the orphan's age at all, thus it was possible that Anakin was transported as a teenage to this alien world as a fetus in her ovary. But… why were they sent here? If Anakin had really been a teenager or perhaps an adult then what were his 'visions' that would always make him teary?

"Mum." A voice shook her from her musings.

She turned back her focus to her son, Annie as she nicknamed him.

"Alright then, that old idio… stuck-up pig, don't worry about it, go and wash up first, dinners ready on the table." 'And I'll have a talk with 'Master' Shimi thought.

He smiled and hastens off.

Annie was an energetic youngling, like any other human child. He was a joy to her yet also a bundle of fear that signaled to the start of new experiences in this lifetime.

She had gone through the pains of pregnancy without any help or support. She had pleaded against her nature, for Watto to let her keep the child, to the growing years of Annie. Most especially the growing years, they were based on her try and error, being new issues to her.

Although he was everything she thought of as an educated youngling, with a conscious and moral value, she couldn't help but fear that she had taken a wrong step in the past. Even after 9 years where past corrections cannot be done, she still worried much. Her heart pines for the days where he was younger as she watched him grow taller with the passing of twin moons, but she was helpless to stop it. A mortal she was and a helpless one in all sense counted.

Change was like fate in every way working harmoniously together and being inseparable.  
However she treasured it, as her guts told her of an imminent parting, one that she had hid in the bottom of her mind.

Yet now wasn't the time to dwell on those issues but for her son's next race tomorrow. Oh! How she detest those dumb races, mostly when all they bring her were either fears for her son who was participating in the event, or the sadness that dwell in those sapphire eyes when he admire the race with her.

He had lost as she had expected and had wished. Winning the race would only invite Watto to get him to participate more often which was her very nightmare, not that this current day wasn't an ordeal in itself.

Yet she felt proud that Annie, only a human and the youngest at six, as the Hutts call him, to be able to operate a pod-racer smoothly. Humans or ordinary human beings didn't have the quick reflex and intuition to last even five minutes into the race. Indeed, that sort of intuition and accidental occurrence were what she knew to be the accidental magic. The very proof she wanted to confirm that he was a wizard, that what she had taught him was going to be useful to him.

It was with a relief smile that she greeted him, her burden lighter and her face showing the carefree spirit that was taken away so long ago. A glint worked its way through to her pupils.

Things were starting to look interesting now that she was going to get her way. No more torturous time spent praying for her son's safety on the track.

* * *

Foreigners often visited this planet as un-tasteful as it might seem, though those with poor insight have never left it. Their bones buried far under the sifting sand never to be found for years to pass. Some of the lucky ones were mostly on a shady business and the man who had stepped down from a silver ship so sleek and vast to a land-dweller was no different.

Walking along the busy streets as creatures of all sorts, some he had never met before, most he did paid him no attention. This was a world of harsh survival. Only the fittest and smartest live.

Along him two companions followed dutifully although it was clear none were well-verse in surviving such a life here. Well… it was two unless you counted the third- a non-living robot working daily on snakes of wires as lights blinked rainbows indicating such intelligence which might be of use.

Gesturing for his companions to wait outside and warn him of any imminent danger, he walked into a quiet small shop made of clay and sand. Both were molded so finely, not a crack could be seen. It was like a different reality into which he had just entered. One of a busy city with heat oppressing the brain's reflex to a cool and quiet refuge deadening the voices outside. His footsteps echoed behind him, each move he took brought chills to the occupants until he stopped.

"I need parts for a J-type 327 Nubian." A deep baritone voice made its way to Annie's ear echoing its rich tone throughout the cave.

For a moment as he felt its effect washed over him, he felt safe and unusually delighted. Like when he first tasted chocolate… oh… the sweet taste as he felt it roll itself, warming him on the inside. Such pleasure…

Wait chocolate? There wasn't such a thing as chocolate on Tatoonie! Giving himself a slap on the forehead, he focused his sight onto the stranger that had just entered the shop.

"Ah yes! Nubian! We have lots of that" Watto's buggy voice rang. "But can you pay me or not- that's the question!"

Watto rubbed his thumb and 3rd finger together for the universal sign of money, inching closer to the stranger, with suspiciousness written all over.

"I have twenty thousand Republican dataries…"

"DATARIES? Republican credits? Who do you think you're fooling? That money is no good here! Value- something worth trading with, that's what I take."

The stranger shook his head, his brown over sack swirling along.

"I don't have anything els…"

"None? Then what you doing here then, Scram!" Watto screamed, abandoning his pleasant countenance at once, his pair of four-fingers swinging out in front of him.

'Hah, true colours finally appear.' Anakin thought.

"But credits will do fine," the stranger said passing one hand across Watto's face… wait… hand?

'Could he be magical too?' Anakin thought.  
'Mother had said that Sirens had the power to be compelling and he is most certainly reeking of the taint of magic being used… a different one from the one I normally use but still…'

"No, they won't!" Watto answered again after the stranger had repeated his statement.

"What do you think you're doing, waving your hand around like that? You think you're some kinda Jedi? Hah! I'm a Toydarian! Mind tricks don't work on me- only money! No money, no deal!" And with that he flew away back to the counter to count the money.

The stranger stared for awhile before his face transformed to one of chagrined, wheeling from the shop back to the outside world.

'Hmm…' Anakin thought. 'A Jedi would surely be versed in the arts of magic, and that retired pilot down at the end did say that Jedi could do some mind tricks…'

"Chut-chut!" a screech brought him out from his reverie as Annie craned his head up only to meet the smack of a pile of cash from Watto.

"I didn't keep you to daydream! Work!"

Grumbling silently, Annie returned to scrubbing the bin as he renewed his vow once again to try his best to be rid of being a slave and leave Tatoonie with his mother.

* * *

4 candles (hours) later…

Anakin was dismissed from the shop as soon as he had finished cleaning up the shop and was currently peacefully walking towards his home.

Around him creatures of all looks walked past. Some were in chains, dragged by unknown, some cheerfully walking about. Not he.

He wasn't happy or sad, irritated or excited, just walking down the road as balls of dust rolled past his feet. His arms rose crossed behind his head as he blindly walked down the street, seemingly able to avoid any skin contact with others even thought his eyes were lidded.

'Blind sight' as he had termed it though its real name was really too complicated to remember, Annie walked down training his senses to guide him, trusting the ambient magic to keep him safe. Even though he started doing this as an order from his mother in order to train his magical sight and had hated it, he needed it now.

That man from this afternoon… he was the second person to ever be felt using magic apart from him and his mum and it surprised him. Never having prove that a Jedi had used magic, his mother wasn't able to certify her theory correct… yet now…

Wait… something was going to happen, and indeed he could feel it in his very skin as if the wind was spreading the news, even see it. A fight was going to take place … and it was smacked right in front of him.

"Chubba! You!" It was Sebulba, a dug- a creature vicious in both cunningness and right connections.

'Stupid Dung', Annie cursed under his breath, there was the cheater who had sabotaged every single Pod-race he was ever in, and unwontedly but not unusual, the one who had caused him the chance to ever participate in Pod racing again.

A brown-skinned creature laid on the ground, his posture in that of a submissive servant. With two large flopping ears and large eyes that seemed to protrude out, it was certainly a creature who would win the overall cutest alien on Tatoonie.

However, Anakin wasn't able to identify the victim's specie, and since he didn't know its race, one thing was for sure, that wasn't a native here. He sighed knowing thinking of all the trouble his mum were to give him should she ever find out today's events. Yet… he couldn't just stand here and let the worst bully he ever hated reign right in front of him, especially when this one here didn't have any way out.

"No, no," the victim moaned plaintively,  
"Why me always da one?"

Snorting in laughter at the victim's dumb question, he stepped forward a plan forming in his mind already.

"You're always the one because of your fear, it reeks and that's the key to being conquered." Anakin told the victim and surged forward not a moment too soon as Selbulba prepared to swing his fist forward.

"Chess ko, Sebulba," he told the dug, an image of a calm adult toying with a baby.  
"Be careful, this one's well-connected… don't want you missing form the next race now do we?"

Oh he was going in for a fun time now.

* * *

"Tooney rana dunko, shag?" Selbulba asked, his eyes going wide betraying his nervousness. If it was true and this pathetic life form on the ground was well connected…

"Hutts, Connected to the higher ups." That irritating boy said his face betraying no emotions save for the smugness in his voice…, oh how he loved to ripped that voice from him and make him suffer in front of him.

But if it was true, and that the Hutts are connected to this fellow…

Selbulba backed off a step unconsciously, his memory dicing out his previous unlucky encounter against the Hutts, but a snort brought him back to reality as he spotted his fly.

"Neek me chawa! Next time we race, it will be the end of you! … Oh I forgot…" Selbulba paused with a smirk.

"You can't race anymore… can you wermo…" hoping to get a rise from the boy. His muscles do need some exercise anyway.

He was disappointed although it wasn't really unexpected since he had never been able to get a rise out of both the brat and it's filthy elder… and for that he was in awe of them- not that he would ever reveal it.

"Oh… that's true but then I heard that next race is going to involve certain … additions- not so pretty now for you now, is it _dung_?"

That brat … quickly he restrained himself, he wasn't in the mood to deal with any authority figures today.

Gesturing violently, he gave his last threat for the day, or in Anakin's words, his farewell speech.

"Uto notu wo shag! Count yourself lucky slave; you better go running back behind your master's protection…" Spitting on the ground, he wheeled around and moved off with his companions- fellow dugs- back to their tables.

"I think you're going to need them more Selbulba." Anakin added softly, having the last say as usual.

"Jar Jar! Are you alright?"

'It was that siren from before' Anakin started, spinning around so fast and unexpectedly, he felt dizzy for a moment.

"Careful there, my young friend." The stranger said grasping Annie on the arm steadily.

"Ah… Sorry about that…" Anakin blushed.

"No, no, I should be the one thanking you for saving Jar Jar here from trouble… although you… Jar Jar, seems to have a penchant for finding trouble…" The stranger replied eyeing the creature- Jar Jar as he seemed to be known as- being helped up by a young lady… who was ravishing!

"Nossir, nossir!" The peeve foreigner (Jar Jar) quickly replied brushing off the sand and dust collected on his shirt.

"ME hate crunchen. Tis' da last thing me want, especially with evil creature!"

"I should hope so…"

"Me does nutten!" Jar Jar insisted forcefully, abandoning the subject to bury in the desert.

For a moment silence reign through time and space even though the daily occurrence were still happening around them.

Then the stranger spoke.

"Yes, well my companions and I had better start going on our way now…"

"Yeah well, see… I was kind of wondering … I was…" Annie stuttered, unsure of how to phrase his question.

"Yes?"

"Well, Jar Jar there doesn't seemed to be a native here, and since you all knew each other I was wondering if you could tell me what sort of creature is he, and what is he doing here?"

"Ah, well Jar Jar is …"

"Me is Gungan, Gungan from underwater!" Jar Jar interrupted the stranger, eager to start off a session about himself.

"Gungan? I've never heard of you? And where's underwater? Do you mean you live like the fishes, and… and do you stay still with your eyes wide open like a fish when it's sleeping?" Anakin quickly asked, his mind spinning up all his unasked questions. It was really some time since he had ever needed to learn something, his mind absorbing things like there was no tomorrow.

"No, no! Mesa no sleep with eyes wide open" the Gungan said placing special emphasis on the word wide, while his arms flail wildly about.

"Then…" Anakin started, but the stranger interrupted them.

"As curiously and fulfilling as it to answer all your question, there looks to be a storm brewing soon, and we will need to get back to our ship as soon as possible."

"Oh! I'm really sorry!" Annie said and indeed he was. Sandstorms were notoriously vicious especially on such a planet as this which consists of mostly sand. Hoping to make up for it in some way he offered them a temporary refuge till the storm tides over after hearing that the ship they were heading to was on the city's outskirt.

"You'll never make it there in time, especially in this storm! Tatoonie's famous sand storm can blow any wanderers off track in just minutes!"

"We have no where else to go!" The stranger shouted back, raising his voice against the rapidly rising wind. It was clear then to Annie what the outcome would be, having seen the gleam in his eyes of his nervousness. All around them, people were hastily taking shelter and it was rather clear that the stranger himself doubted if they could reach their destination in time.

"Come on. You can wait it out at my home. It's nearer than going out to the outskirts and my mum won't mind much too." Annie said.

The gleam in those hazel eyes increased.  
'Just a bit more', Annie thought.

"Hurry! Your lives are more important than you reaching there anyway, and I don't think your ship could leave in such weather too!"

It was enough, and the stranger gestured to his companions to follow Annie as they hurried down the desolated streets to a small man-made cave, no speech was needed, and none dare too for fear of choking down the stinging sand.

Dying of a lung full of sand was dumb when you're in a place civilized enough to avoid it.

* * *

The sand pounding started louder and as each sound boomed the small hovel- which in secrecy was enforced with spells and wards making it bigger on the inside discreetly and safer too- Shimi started to sweat more profusely.

Oh she may have drilled the ways of survival when caught in a sand-storm into her son's head, she might have taught him spells that he shouldn't be learning at his current age, but she was still worried. Tens of scenarios entered her mind and despite her stony façade, she was starting to break focus.

Bang!

That was all she needed. She stood up hurriedly, tears threatening to fall from her eyes. This was the house she had personally built after her son's birth and every sound that was ever heard, she would have recognized it by heart already. The door had opened and her son was back, for only he could open it in such weather.

Moving speedily, she slowed down unexpectedly. There was more noise than there should be. That could only mean one thing. She had guests. Moving once more, a firm stride in her actions, she muttered the password under her breath as the air around her shimmered for a moment, before returning to its normal state.

"Mom! Mom! I'm home!" Her son called out excitedly to her from the doorway.  
Just past the first security now, and she would decide.

"Tis cozy", someone voiced out.

Beside her in her personal room, what used to be furnished lavishly with a wardrobe, technology, a goose-feathered bed and walls painted with a dull glossy green gave way to only sandy wall rough to the touch but not harmful. A bed made of bad branches with a table was the only furniture left. All these depicted one with serious financial problems. Her 'rightful' image as a slave.

Walking slowly pass her room's doorway to the main room where she knew her guests and son would be waiting, she threw a glance to the table where four folders laid waiting innocently before she stalk out her face one of pure bliss.

"Oh my!" Shimi exclaim upon seeing her guest on first glance. _What was she to do with them now…

* * *

_

_A/N: Sorry about the delay but there was a slight problem with the computer! Really, i am so so very sorry! On the other hand, while i can't give another promise to be on time, i give my word that i'll try. _

_Now i know this chapter was to be on Anakin's childhood but i'm not really sure the chapter i wrote on Anakin's childhood is actually productive. In fact it seemed boring so i added some tibits of it in this chapter and any extra relevant to the story, i'll put it in the other chapters as flashback. By the way, does anyone have trouble understanding the story?_


	6. Home

Chapter 6: Home

For the first time in this world, just when she thought she had some control of her future, fate had to throw her another surprise. A siren! In her house no less on its own willingness just when she given up thought of magical sentiments on this planet.

"Mum!" Her son's voice brought her back to hand.

She watched him bounced up several steps; if she had not known him better she would have purely stated that as a child's naive joy, but no. She had seen his eyes away from any others behind him.

_Siren_,_ magic_,_ discover_,_ Jedi_.

Those were the words he had sent to her before he broke contact turning back to the strangers.

"Mum, I met these people nearby, they needed shelter! I did something good today!" Anakin stated.

The statement in itself was silly from Annie 's mouth but then again Anakin was still a child. That could easily be excused as a child's naive.

"Anakin! Why?" She asked and indeed she was curious herself, perhaps when she looked back later she would notice how stupid it was to ask when the answer was so obvious.

He looked at her, confused. _Huh_? "There's a sandstorm, Mom. Listen."

She looked out of the window, feeling the gust of sand scrap another layer of the exterior walls. It was tempting to just keep slamming her head into the wall regardless of any rational thoughts she had. Her nerves were frayed and a migraine was arriving, everything was just wrong. Why couldn't she just have a normal day!

Wringing her hands outward she couldn't stop her son from leaving with one of the strangers, missing much conversation due to her previous debate within herself.

"Your son was kind enough to offer us shelter from the sandstorm," The human man explained as if he had sense her internal conflict. "We met at the shop where he works."

Roping in the rest of her confusion careful not to think about it in detail yet, she absorbed the information the man gave her giving him the once glance. Tall built, with hidden muscles under that sack of his signaling a steady man who exercised often gaining at least some degree of discipline. His outline wasn't of the burly sort or the lithe figure she knew before- his was of an average fighter with no visible strength shown yet, someone whom she should be wary of.

No tattoos could be seen from his arms or face, now he must be someone a high standard of living, with a strict set of morals or rules he followed, or his elders or whoever he was living with must be the type to disdain barbaric methods. His hair was of the ordinary brown not uncommon here, saved for his skin. It wasn't as tanned as any inhabitants here would be after a certain period of time. This being, either had skin that couldn't be darkened any further or he had only just arrived. Between the two, she was leaning on the later as she could not believe any skin was strong enough to resist the kiss of Tatoonie's twin suns.

Yet that wasn't what concerned her, but for the fact that she could discern the swirling colors of his aura around him. Blue like the oceans, she was sure she would drown in those endless pits of water she had glimpsed hurriedly. This mortal man was a siren in disguise for sure.

"I'm Shimi Skywalker," she said, holding out her hand. "Anakin and I are pleased to have you as our guests, Sir..."

'Take things step by step, Joe' she told herself quietly.

"Qui-Gon Jinn, just Qui-Gon if you will, no sir."

"If you must insist Qui-Gon, then perhaps you would be willing to name your companions on their behalf?"

"My wife" Qui-Gon gestured to the room where she could hear both her son and the other stranger's voice. "Padme." He gestured to the Gungan, "Jar Jar Binks, a helper of mine and our robot."

The man must have already appraised the suppose 'situation' with a good eye thus determining what was needed, before reaching under his poncho to pull out five small capsules from a pouch in his belt.

"I know this is unexpected. Take these. There's enough food for a meal."

Shimi accepted the capsules surprise of his quick thinking and the lack of haughtiness that was said to come from all sirens since birth.

"Thank you." Her eyes lifted and lowered again, remembering to avoid his eyes.

"Thank you very much. I'm sorry if I was abrupt. I'll never get used to Anakin's surprises, I guess."

"He's a very special boy," Qui-Gon offered.

This time she stared at him hard in the eye before glancing away as if confused by something.

"Yes," She said softly, "I know."

* * *

The sandstorm raged all day, Shimi was sure this one was the mediocre type that would last for at least a day (the longest had lasted an entire month), instead of those fierce and fast ones. That would also mean more time for her to understand the situation she was landed in.

Anakin had brought these strangers home, claming to be a good deed, that she was incline to believe. But she was sure from his body movements that there was also an ulterior motive present. That man, Qui-Gon, he had the aura of a wild yet tame siren. It wasn't hidden at all, but glowing brightly as if well-controlled. Yet he seemed to not know that he was one, for a siren could spot any magical creature including wizards and witches unless he wasn't one.

But his aura?

"Mum! How do you explain that thing inside us to stop any plans to escape?" Anakin asked his mouth munching the already mush food.

Not missing a beat she replied.

"All slaves have transmitters placed inside their bodies and that acts as a sensor that is linked to the amount of land we cover on foot each day."

"Measure? You mean they restrict your steps by counting the number of steps you take each day?" Padme asked, rather engrossed in learning new things.

Now she was definitely a Ravenclaw, although she was leaning towards Slytherin. Her eye movements leaked out her thoughts as if verbally broadcasting it, it took some use to, keeping her mind from over listening to such.

"Yes, for example Annie here is working in the shop and if he takes more than a certain amount of steps like maybe five million or so, the transmitted will react."

"BOOM!" Anakin added waving his hand out wildly startling the houses greediest creature, Jar Jar.

_GAHHhhh! _

Jar Jar coughed out, one webbed hand soothing his throat.

Anakin whom hadn't meant to cause such an outbreak felt sorry and immediately tried to help out, or not.

He pounded as hard as he could on the Gungan's back.

Padme ignored the interruption continuing. "But that's so restricting. I mean, I never expected the republic anti-slavery laws to be disobeyed here"

"The republic doesn't exist here; this is Tatoonie, desert land, not one speck of metallic skyscraper in sight." Shimi snapped irritated that the girl wasn't getting the fact that survival of the fittest rule was the only rule that mattered here.

Self-awe of some government when she had already seen just how 'wide' its righteous influence ran was something she didn't enjoy. In fact this very scene reminded her just how fearful she was when it came to dealing with any lovesick fan club people she cross.

"Have you ever seen a Podrace?" Anakin asked when it seemed as if the awkward silence was turning potent.

Padme shook her head probably not daring to speak out from the previous tension she had created. 'A smart move' Shimi thought.

"I have", the siren- no! It was Qui-Gon, who answered. All present at the table stared at him, not for lack of trying but his presence had almost been forgotten due to his brooding quiet self before.

"You have? Where?" Anakin blurted out.

"Malastare, they organize the event rather often earning a reputation for being the fastest and most dangerous game known."

"Malastare?" Shimi voiced out unsurprised when her son too replied the same in a union of voices.

"It's a hot planet on another system covered with volcanoes and molten lava." He told them, leaving it there.

With an understanding nod Shimi gestured Annie too quiet, knowing how hard it was to explain about a planet without some other form of tools of a map.

At the same time, a move was made rather swiftly and unexpectedly that both mother and son turned shocked to witness the Gungan's punishment, not that everyone else attention wasn't riveted to him then.

Qui-Gon it seems had been so irritated by Jar Jar's rude and noisy trials to plucking out morsels from other bowls like a toad would to his prey, that he had secured the responsible tongue with his thumb and forefinger.

"Don't do that again," He advised, an edge in his voice revealing his limited patience for disorder and rudeness.

He let go, scoping up a spoonful of his meal as if nothing out of the ordinary had happen.

"Wow!" Anakin started before realizing that he had just said it out aloud, ducking his head slightly to hide of his blush.

Qui-Gon raised an eye brow slightly, looking amused at Anakin's outburst.

"Yes?"

Anakin's face lifted to the older man's, and his voice wavered slightly before replying.

"That was very fast! I mean the way you just duck your hand out and-"

"Yes, if one focus and with good reflex, it is achievable."

"Yeah but-"

Shimi looked up, the conversation was already straying so often to a dangerous course but she herself was admittedly curious.

"You're a Jedi Knight, aren't you?" Annie finally blurted out.

'Darn!' Shimi cursed silently, that was why she was always so wary of Anakin when he dealt with people. He was just so _Gryffindor_, not an ounce of tact in him, and Jedi? Was that what he had meant when he sent to her the word Jedi?

'It would make sense, that he is a Jedi, not a siren so he would actually offer charity and his magic, they call it the force'

"What makes you think so?" Qui-Gon replied.

'Oh smart move, not to seem like agreeing but getting the answer out so you can eliminate the problem too.' Shimi thought.

* * *

Now he was in a fix. On one hand he really didn't want to reveal anything but in this situation, there wasn't really much choice. 

"I saw your lightsaber when you helped Jar Jar up." Anakin replied, well conscious of the relief on his mother's face when she realize that he wasn't going to give up their secret.

Distracted by the creak of the chair, he moved his focus back to the Jedi who had leaned back with a smile on his face.

'What's wrong with him, smiling like that?' Anakin thought. Seriously it had frightened him slightly.

"Well there's always the fact that I killed a Jedi and took his lightsaber." The man went on but Anakin cut in hotly.

"No! Jedi's don't fall that easily! I've never seen one defeated!"

A side glance from his mother showed her calmness still but he knew that was going to change soon. Oh he seriously hoped she wasn't going to kill him when she knew the details.

"I wish that were so." Qui-Gon replied but yet again, he was interrupted by Anakin who was reining all his courage to say the next step.

"I had a dream, I was a Jedi and I freed everyone from slavery here and, and are you the one who is going to free us?"

"Annie?" His mum called slightly, a frown adorning her face now.

"You are aren't you? Why else would you be here!" there, he had added the final spice, a hidden trap subtly- as his mother had always wanted. A counter-attack to the previous question by the Jedi.

"I'm sorry Anakin, but, No, I'm not here to free anyone." Qui-Gon replied.

"Then why?" He pressed, as if this was according to his plan.

The Jedi sighed, before leaning forward conspiratorially. Already, he could see that the Jedi had obviously decided to take a chance. This man wasn't going to last a single minute as a politician.

"I see that there's no fooling you, but what I'm about to tell you must be kept as a secret, hidden from any others alright?"

Qui-Gon glanced towards both himself and his mother.

"Yes?" He asked again, an tone surrounding it, as ironic as it had sounded. Their promise was word to their lives and should this secret he is in on affect them in any way.

"I'll not speak of it to anyone if your secret does not go beyond the boundaries of trouble involving the Hutts." Mother spoke out, her eyes held straight and true to the Master Jedi's eyes. Truth held out there, but he had to squash a smirk on his face when he found the obvious loopholes.

"I promise on that too."

Qui-Gon smiled.

Perhaps this wasn't worth the promise, most especially when he didn't seem to take the 'secret' of his seriously.

"We're on our way to Coruscant, the central system in the Republic, on a very important mission."

His mother's eyes widened. "Coruscant? Coruscant isn't anywhere near here at all! Why are you here if Coruscant is your supposed destination?"

"Our ship was damaged," Padme answered her. "We're stranded here until we can repair it, and that involves getting parts we need."

"Parts? You can just trade it with something you have."

'That's right! Any mission they go on should have some funding since it was a sure thing that they needed to use such, any mission that is approved anyway.' Anakin though suspiciously.

"Wit nutten ta trade but 'publicans credits," Jar Jar answered out sourly.

"I can help!" Anakin announced quickly, playing the part of being anxious to be of service to them.

"Qui-Gon smiled at the enthusiasm." I believe you can, but our first task, as you know from our visit to Watto's shop, is to acquire the parts we need."

"I know that! I mean if you need the parts then why not use the upcoming race to get the parts you need?" Anakin answered defensively.

Both Qui-Gon and Padme was looking at him questioningly.

"What my son means is that if you're desperate and with nothing to lose, you could gamble and bet on the Boonta Podrace which is coming up soon for the parts you need."

Raising her hands all around her, she told him.

"Everything around here, Tatoonie, revolves around those Podraces, Gambling- that's the only weakness they have in common."

"I see." Qui-Gon replied.

Padme was looking at Qui-Gon speculatively, but that was nothing he, Anakin could do to prevent that. He wanted the Jedi off to Coruscant as soon as possible.

* * *

A/N: Tried to get this up as soon as possible! Hope it doesn't feel rushed or confusing. Also, Credits must really be given to my beta Laura, who actually managed to finish checking through this chapter in 24 hours or less after I sent her! WOOH! That's a record.

Also when i tried to upload this chapter onto the website, it was rejected... don't really know what's going on but anyway please review!


	7. Truth versus Surrealism

****

**Chapter 7-Reality versus Surrealism**

She was upset, and it was time to learn more about the son she had raise.

"Annie, just what exactly are you planning? I mean you just went all out and started saying things like freedom and …"

"Mum it's not, it's just…" Anakin tried to explain but to no avail.

"Just what are you trying to do Annie? Free us? Then why all the things about all slaves and, and…."

"MUM!" Anakin shouted.

He didn't need her hysterical and he for one had no idea just why was she ranting so much, her theories not even hitting close to the target by much.

"Mum, just calm down alright? Please, let me explain."

She gave a sigh raising her hands up in true surrender before dropping herself onto a chair, causing her hands to smack out loud against her tights.

"I don't wish to stay here forever as a slave mother, and yes, while you've taught me so much and have more still to teach, I think it's time I start learning something more."

"More? Or is that your spirit calling out for an adventure?" Shimi asked her son in mock curiosity.

"I…" He stop, his mind told him that it was to learn more. But, his heart… it told of a different matter, and he for one didn't wish to lie to his mother at all if possible.

"Maybe it's a need for an adventure, I'm sick and tired of having to be like a machine, following a future that can be predicted without a single hesitation, and if I do leave, and join the Jedi, I do get to learn new things!" He defended.

She couldn't reply him, didn't know how to either as silence dominated the room.

"Mum, I can't stay here forever, not as a slave, besides you were always going on about how I should get rid of being a slave status at any single opportunity present."

She stared at him, eye for an eye and it frightened him when he saw it. The intensity of the raw emotions present made him feel nauseated and guilty as butterflies did a barrel roll in his stomach.

"Annie, I'm … not against you going off and making your own life, it's just everything I used to say seemed to be impossible to attain, like it's just all big talk and no actions, it gives false hope to continue on and I'm not young anymore Annie.

"I'm too settled now with what I have to even think of moving out another inch and I presumed the same for you but then this came and prove me wrong and, and you brought that man here and…" She started rambling; even the tiniest hint of a twitch was obvious on her.

Anakin smiled softly and placed his two palms on her shoulder to steady her before making a turn, repositioning himself at her back, squeezing the stress out from her shoulder-blades.

"Mum. You're rambling."

She smiled apologetically at him.

"Sorry, I just wanted to ask if you're ready. This choice you're going to make, it'll bring you… unwanted feelings and I'll probably not see you again."

"I'm willing and I've had a long time to think this through, every night when you tucked me in, I would think of the choice I would take if I have it, and besides, you're my mother and nothing, nothing at all can make me not see you again, no matter how long it takes. I promise that mum!"

She glanced away. A hidden smile full of hidden pain and pride, Anakin may have finally grown up enough to choose his destiny, but that doesn't mean that she would be happy with his choice.

"Come on! Master Jedi might need some help choosing his bet." Anakin called out, his feet moving forward rapidly, some distance away from his mother. The subject was close for that day and there was absolutely nothing she could do to change it anymore. She squeezed her eyes shut before standing up to follow him to the Pod-tracks to find the Jedi.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Padme sighed in relief when her aching feet were finally given a rest. Sure she was healthy and had done plenty of exercise especially walking up and down the corridors and stairs, but a desert was just what it is. Too big, too spacious, too long… even the weather hadn't been kind to her tons too different from Naboo's summer least say the four seasons. The weather here was just horrendous, reminding her of the moon, being either too hot or too cold with no 'just nice' anywhere at all.

"Here!" The boy, Annie, as his mother had fondly called him thrust a cup before her.

Padme hesitated unsure with his intention.

"It's just plain water since anything cold is really expensive on Tatoonie. Besides, you look like you really need it." He told her holding out the cup.

She smiled, whispering her thanks from a rather dry throat before gulping down the entire cup greedily, unaware of the ungainly droplets of water dripping down her chin.

Anakin faced away from her hoping that she would notice it soon. After all, politicians no matter the gender were always conscious of their attire and manners and Padme Naberrie was most definitely a politician and of royal status if the word 'Queen of Naboo' as stated in the folders had anything to say for.

'Thank Merlin for small gifts', Annie thought as he reminisced the time previously when he and his mum had got down to reading the folders on the table. _'Ostendo sum sententia vita' _a spell to grant the caster any information of the people who stepped through the ward through those folders was thought to have malfunctioned when it went completely out of control against both he and his mom.

Much to their surprise, the ward seems to function all well and dainty when Watto entered their home leading to the unconfirmed theory that the ward couldn't work on time-travelers or whatever category they were going to be placed in.

"Thank you Anakin."

He startled before remembering Padme, turning back to face her whom he was relieve had wiped off any remnants of untidiness.

"Annie, call me Annie, and you're welcome of course milady!" He joked slightly unable to halt his tongue from making that slight remark.

True to the facts, Padme had frozen just for an instance before smoothing out into a sweet chuckle.

"Why thank you, my lord-"

"Annie, to my friends." Anakin countered.

"Then you must call me Padme- for my loved ones", she joked.

"If you wished my love" Anakin followed, skillfully acting the handsome prince gaining much laughter from his audience.

"Thank you Annie, it's been a while since I've had much fun like this," she gestured around her before continuing "in such a dire situation."

Anakin lips quirked up slightly. He was glad that he had managed to help bridge away her wariness of him. Whatever was to come, he knew for certain that she was going to be dumped in the centre of it all.

"It's the full moons tonight, look." He pointed upwards from his laid back position.

Beside him, he could feel her movement in the air, every disturbance bringing a new image into his inner eye. An echo followed as he felt her dropped down following his position upwards.

"It's weird, seeing two moons up when I'm used to only one."

Anakin lowered his head in agreement.

"Yeah, it probably does take some getting use to, like they always say…"

"Annie!"

Anakin sat up immediately, his mouth opening startling his companion immensely.

"Annie, it's time for you to sleep!" His mother called from the bottom.

"Going!" He shouted in reply before remembering that Padme was still beside him and he had just shouted and all… oh Merlin.

"Good night Annie."

He felt like an idiot, what's with his lack of concentration but hurriedly he nodded his head as he watched her shadow moved beyond his sight. Sighing, he wondered just what was wrong with him. Every action he had made seems so unlike himself. So… Slytherin, not unlike the feeling of watching himself from a recording.

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He watched as a bystander when a figure so like him moved forward. It was a battlefield, something totally different from all his other nightmares. Never had he felt his dreams clearer than this, his mind able to calculate as if it was awake.

He twisted his head to his other side, following the line of sight as his older self raised a hand.

An army so white and pure, it seems as if the flowing of the rapids had moved into hell. A beacon housing so many angels… He took a deep breath as his vision expanded before him. Yes, they weren't angels at all but soldiers all wearing clothes unstained by the ugly taint of the land and right in front was someone he could've sworn he knew all his life.

Padme. Clothed simply in a clad white scarf that seems to serve as a decent enough dress, welding a blaster in one hand, she was the perfect image of an innocent noble angered in her own house for revenge. While she stared angrily past him at his older self, he wondered if perhaps the stranger that looked like him was perhaps truly his older self. What in the blaze did he do to earn a Queen's wrath that she would send her army on him?

He twisted his head back to the stranger whom he now realized was clad in the darkest black he ever saw, wielding in his hand a strange tube he found somewhat familiar. To his belated horror as he stood up slowly that just behind the older self was a whole string of wraiths. Rows and columns of them spill over the land blending in perfectly with the tainted land. Not only was this a battlefield, he was in the midst of a clash between two forces.

This was most certainly the worst nightmare in years now.

"Kuso!" Annie cursed as he tried to wake himself up. Slapping his cheek hard and looking around once more, his surroundings appeared unchanged.

'This is not reality, this is a dream!' He told himself.

"Not real… no. Not real." He muttered as his feet regain their functions backing off slowly from his mid position between the two forces desperately hoping that they would not take any notice of him.

And true to his wish, they did not even notice him- an innocent bystander who was trying to avoid the upcoming bloodshed. No, they didn't care about him both raising their hand up like a symmetrical picture before sending it cutting through the air. The last gesture he ever wanted to see. His execution signal as both armies rushed forward the ground pumping from their footsteps. And he was smacked right in the middle of them.

This was bad. Very, very bad.

Passing up his previous motion of subtly moving off the battlefield, Annie turned round fleeing for his dear life. As of then, his concern wasn't if his surrounding was surreal or not or perhaps the reason for having unknowingly landed there. No, what he did know was that no sane man would take so much of a chance between life and death and he definitely didn't want to be between the imposing figures of the wraiths and the white clad soldiers at all.

Feeling the hammering of his heart slowed him down and every bead of sweat seemed to be bigger than usual rolling down his sensitive skin. What he did not need then was the sight of the two nightmarish armies. Shutting his eyes while running, he hoped fervidly that if he could not avoid the death approaching then at the very least could he be spared from the sight of his impending death. That was the very last mistake he would make there and then as he tripped and fell into a pit he had never noticed.  
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A/N: I'm really sorry for this being so late ... three months or more instead of the two months... Unfortunately i'm going to have my final exam coming so i'm not going to be updating for quite awhile... maybe a month or so. Really sorry about that.


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